Vera Farmiga to Run the Bates Motel on A&E

In the absolute coolest piece of casting news today, Vera Farmiga has checked in to Bates Motel.

The Oscar-nominated actress (Up in the Air) will anchor the upcoming A&E drama as Norma Louise Bates, the disturbed mother at the center of the Alfred Hitchock's Psycho.

Bates Motel will serve as a prequel to that horror classic. Produced by Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin, it will focus on the relationship between Farmiga's Norma and her uncast, serial-killer-to-be son, Norman.

“We are delighted to welcome Vera Farmiga to Bates Motel,” Cuse said. “She is a phenomenal talent who has demonstrated incredible range and intelligence in a number of landmark film roles, and we couldn’t be more excited to have her join our project.”